Eco-Friendly Products

During the Second World War, resources were scarce and Governments ran massive recycling campaigns to make sure that as little as possible was wasted. Waste was segregated for the following uses:

- Metal and tine were recycled for use in aircraft, tanks and weapons.

- Left over food provided feed for pigs, chickens and goats.

- Rubber was collected to make tires.

- Boiled bones were used to make glue for aircraft, ground up to make fertilizer or made into glycerin for explosives.

Households were also encouraged to repair belongings, such as clothes, as opposed to just buying new ones. Campaigns like 'Make Do & Mend' advised people on how to recycle textiles and patch up their worn out clothes. Knitting also soared in popularity during the Second World War.

Families had to plan meals carefully to ensure that food did not go to waste. With no fridges or freezers, perishable food had to be bought in small quantities and meals were made with some interesting substitutes. Meat fat was commonly saved to make pastry, and the cream from milk was collected in a jar and shaken to make butter.

It is sad that it took people so long to acknowledge the importance of recycling, and also that it took such unfortunate circumstances to draw it to our attention. Nowadays, we realize the importance of recycling to preserve the Earth's resources and to reduce pollution.

Even so, we are still failing to recycle a lot of items that are recyclable. The reasons for recycling may be different now from what they were during the War, but we can still take inspiration from our grandparents.

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Ware 4 Recycling Bins Ltd have been promoting cost effective recycling bins, trolleys and waste containers for over 5 years.